Picture hanger



J. C- C- MAYO PICTURE HANQER Nov. 21, 1950 Filed March 31, 1949 Fig. l.

0m a w M C 6 by M an m m Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICTURE HANGER John C. 0. Mayo, Ashland, Ky.

Application March 31, 1949, Serial No. 84,574

Claims.

This invention relates to means for securing pictures on walls and the primary object of this invention is to provide means for initially securin the picture and subsequent levelling of the picture, the initial mounting of the picture being facilitated due to the possibility of said subsequent levelling, and no levelling or measuring devices need be used in the securement of the first unit of the device upon the wall.

Another object of this invention is to provide a picture. hanger in two parts or units which are so designed that when used, a picture will han parallel to a Wall and will not touch or rest against the wall at any point, this greatly reducing discoloration of the wall that usually accompanies the use of conventional type picture hanging devices.

Another obvious object of this invention is to provide means for easily levelling a picture when said picture has become tilted from its original or proper position,

Yet another object of this invention is to provide means in which the picture hanger is in two parts, the first part being securable to a wall while the second part is securable to the picture frame and the frictional engagement between the two parts or units is such that the picture will not shift ordinarily except when being intentionally and manually adjusted into position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting a picture, after the above mentioned parts or units have been mounted on the wall and picture frame, through an infinite number of slightly varying positions, as one of the above mentioned units is shifted through an arc of approximately twenty degrees maximum, such a limit of adjustability being greater than will ordinarily be required, and such adjustment being obviously extremely easy to accomplish.

With the above objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction. combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure l is a grouped view of the two units of this invention, the one unit being secured to a wall and the other unit being secured to a picture frame;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of both of the said units in operative position but with the picture frame removed and a portion of the cover plate of what is herein referred to as the first unit partially broken away with the underlying parts shown in vertical section and in elevation, in order to illustrate the configuration of the coplanar members with their interfitting arcuate contact faces;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially upon the line 3--3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Figure l, to show how nail holes are shaped to allow the use of inclined straight nails as well as screw nails; and

Figure 5 is a three-dimensional view of a very slightly modified form of the above mentioned first unit, showing how this unit may be of integral or one-piece construction.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, this invention is adapted to be used with an environment including a wall l0 and a picture frame 12.

' The invention includes a pair of cooperating units [4 and IE, the unit l4 being referred to as the first unit and the unit l6 being referred to herein as the second unit.

The first unit It is adapted to be secured to the wall l0 and includes a base I8 which may be a fiat rectangular plate apertured to receive attachin screws 20, a member 22 which is also of plate character and comprises one of the hereinafter mentioned coplanar members, and the cover plate 24. The second unit IE comprises an attaching plate portion 26 which is apertured (as hereinafter described more fully) to receive attaching screws 28, the other of the coplanar members and it will be noted that the member 30 is offset from the attaching plate 26 as indicated at 32.

The lower end of the member 30 is arcuate and comprises a contact face 34 adapted to fit and coact with an arcuate contact face 36 on the other of the coplanar members 22. It will be noted that the arcuate contact faces 34 and 3B are coaxial about a horizontal axis when the device is assembled and in operative position.

From the above, it will be clear that the member 30 is kept in coplanar relationship with the member 22 by frictional engagement with the base l8 and the cover plate 24, and such frictional engagement should be such that the picture will not easily become disarranged unless intentionally adjusted manually. At each end of the arcuate contact face 36, the member 22 is provided with a stop 38 extending vertically between the base l8 and the cover plate 24 and adapted to limit the shifting of the member 30 relative to the unit I 4 to a maximum of approximately twenty degrees. In one form of this invention, the unit I4 is of laminated construction, the base I8, member 22 and cover plate 24 being held together by dowels 40, with or without additional means for securing the laminations together. It will also be noted that nail holes 42 are provided in the unit I4 to allow securement of the unit to a wall H) by inclined nails as well as by screws 20, the nail holes 42 being enlarged as indicated at 44 on the side of the base l8 and at the bottom of the hole when the base is vertical. A straight nail is indicated in dash line at 46 in Figure 4 disposed as used in fastening the hanger to a support such as a plastered wall.

In the modified form of this invention, illustrated at 48 in Figure 5, the above mentioned base 18, member 20 and cover plate 24 are integrated, either by applying a solvent or plasticizer and pressing the same together, by using plastic cement, by attaining fluidity of the contacting surfaces in other ways, or by initially casting the unit in one piece. The parts of the unit 48 correspond almost exactly with the parts of the unit l4.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from a consideration of the drawing and the above described mechanical details, taken in connection with the above recitation of the objects of this invention. Further description would appear unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A picture hanger comprising a first unit securable to a wall, a second unit securable to a picture frame, said units including coplanar members having interfitting arcuate contact faces allowing adjustment of one of said units relative to the other of said units about a common horizontal axis of said arcuate faces.

2. A picture hanger comprising a first unit se- 45 curable to a wall, a second unit securable to a picture frame, said units including coplanar members having interfitting arcuate contact faces a1- lowing adjustment of one of said units relative to the other of said units about a common horizontal axis of said arcuate faces, said first unit having means to retain said member of said second unit against movement relative to the first member except about said axis.

3. A picture hanger comprising a first unit securable to a wall, a second unit securable to a picture frame, said units including coplanar members having interfltting arcuate contact faces allowing adjustment of one of said units relative to the other of said units about a common horizontal axis of said arcuate faces, said first unit having a base and a cover plate on opposed sides of said coplanar members to retain said members in coplanar relationship while allowing said adjustment about said axis.

4. A hanger according to claim 3 and wherein said member of the first unit has stops horizontally spaced and on each end of the arcuate face therein to limit said adjustment of the member of the second unit relative to said first unit, said stops comprising laterally disposed spacers between said base and cover plate.

5. A hanger according to claim 3 and wherein said base has a portion extending above the cover plate when the hanger is in use, said portion having nail holes therein, and said nail holes being enlarged at the bottom and on the side of the base remote from the cover plate to allow alternative use of inclined straight nails as well as screws.

JOHN C. C. MAYO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,299,443 Walmsley Oct. 20, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,584 Great Britain of 1904 796,532 France Apr. 9, 1936 

